Novak Djokovic
played an incredible match against local Alex De Minaur, knocking him out of
the Australian Open, leaving fans and experts impressed.
Tim Henman,
Eurosport journalist, described the Nole match as a “statement performance”.
The Serb had eliminated the 22nd seed De Minaur only conceding 5 games and
breaking his rival 6 times.
“For me it was a statement performance and a
statement victory”.
“We’ve seen in both the men’s and women’s singles
there have been so many upsets. The top two seeds have gone out of both draws
for the first time in the Open era, and I think he is the clear favourite.”,
said Henman.
Also, highlighted that the level of the
21-time-Grand Slam champion was despite the pain in his leg and playing against
the last local hope in the tournament:
“There have been question marks, mainly around his
leg and his physicality, but to see him go out against De Minaur in front of
his home crowd, and just destroy him - it wasn’t through lack of effort, De
Minaur tried from the first ball to the last, but, Djokovic was just simply too
good.”
On the other hand, the former World No.1 Mats
Wilander anticipated that Djokovic will arrive with confidence "through
the roof" to the quarter final match against the Russian Andrey Rublev:
“Unbelievable. The ball
striking skills are absolutely incredible. The tactical moves that he makes
here and there, how he can shorten the point on both the forehand and the
backhand, he throws in a second serve harder than the first serve he just hit.
I mean the self-belief in Novak right now is just incredible.”
“I was thinking watching
him that I asked Pete Sampras once how he would play Rafael Nadal on clay, and
he said, ‘I wouldn’t let him hit more than one shot a rally’. You can’t do that
with Novak, because he’s not allowing you to hit more than one shot. He’s
super, super aggressive, confidence is through the roof and looks unbeatable
for sure.”
The Swede also wanted to compare the duel against
the Australian with the next match that Nole will play with Rublev:
“His first serve is better, not sure about the
second serve, but his first serve is a little harder, a little more precise. I
think he hits his forehand better than De Minaur. I think he can take the ball
a little bit earlier.”
“I don’t know if Novak is going to be able to
dictate as much, I don’t know if Novak necessarily wants to dictate as much
against Rublev as he was allowed to today, so I think it’s a different
match-up, and Rublev - yes, he’s a better player than De Minaur everywhere to
me.”
“But if Novak plays like this, you have to be a
huge server to have any kind of chance, because from the baseline, it’s a
different game.”, said Wilander.
Cristhián AvilaTennis Journalist
Cristhián Ávila is a tennis journalist based in Santiago, Chile, and has been part of the TennisUpToDate team since early 2023. He covers the ATP and WTA Tours as well as all four Grand Slams, producing breaking news, match reports, analysis, and regular liveblogs from major tournaments.
His reporting combines statistical analysis with clear explanation, helping readers understand tactical developments, player form, and broader storylines across the tour. Working fluently in both Spanish and English, Cristhián collaborates with an international editorial team and contributes to comprehensive global coverage. As part of his work, he has conducted interviews and media interactions with leading figures in the sport, including Caroline Wozniacki and John McEnroe.
In his journalism, Cristhián places strong emphasis on careful sourcing, editorial accuracy, and updating articles promptly when new, verified information becomes available. His coverage is grounded in research, context, and direct engagement with professional tennis.
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